Parivrtta Utkatasana, Revolved Chair Pose

How to do Parivrtta Utkatasana, Revolved Chair Pose

Parivrtta Utkatasana – Squatting is a powerful innate body posture that puts us in touch with our connection to the earth. In the Revolved Chair Pose version, twisting the upper body gives the abdominal muscles a massage, while the legs are strengthened.

1. From mountain Pose – Inhale, extend the arms over the head and lengthen the spine.

1. Stand in Mountain Pose with the feet hip width apart. Inhale, extend the arms over the head and lengthen the spine. Exhale and fold forward with bent knees, bringing the chest forward and hands to the floor. Inhale, press down into the soles and lift the arms and chest forward, away from the thighs. Keep lifting the chest, extending through fingers until the spine and arms are parallel to the floor.

2. Chair Pose – Lower the hands to the heart and press the palms together in prayor position

2. Lift the sitting bones up towards the ceiling. Breath smoothly and evenly as you establish a steady grounding through the heels. You will feel the thighs working hard. Lower the buttocks more toward the heels even has the arms and spine extend upward more. Lower the hands to the heart and press the palms together in prayer position.

3. On an exhalation, turn the chest toward the right and lean forward to wedge the left elbow at the outer right knee. Press the elbow into the knee, While at the same time press the knee back to the elbow to twist deeper. Keep the hands at the heart pressing the palms firmly together. The right knee forward to be level with the left. Feel a spiralling of the upper body from the sacrum upward. Turn the head to look over the right shoulder. Sit down more deeply into the buttocks. Move your body weight back slightly so that the knees are not forward of the toes – this will engage the powerful muscles of the upper thighs more deeply. Stay here for five breaths.

4. Release as you inhale, allowing the arms to lift you back up to stand in Mountain Pose. Repeat on the other side.

Tips

Gaze:

Sideways or through the raised elbow to the ceiling

Build-up Poses:

Deep Forward Fold

Chair Pose

Revolved Triangle Pose

Counter Poses:

Lighten:

Bend the knees less

Rest hands on the hip and knee of the side toward which you are turned.

Effect:

Invigorating

Parivrtta Utkatasana, Revolved Chair Pose Counter Poses

In yoga we use a counter pose in a sequence; For example, a twist follows a backbend to “neutralise” the spine, or a forward bend follows a backbend to help lengthen the spine and calm the nervous system.

Yoga Lily

Lili has been studying and practising yoga in China & UK for 20 years, and teaching since 2007 (7 years in the UK). She draws inspiration from her training within established, classical yoga systems that focus on alignment, hatha vinyasa in its gentler form, yin, yin/yang, and restorative yoga styles, pranayama and meditation; blending the roots of Chinese healing traditions into a more holistic practice.
For her, practice covers not just the physical aspects of yoga but also aligning and unblocking the bodies meridian energy pathways to release Qi energy (prana) which flows through the bodies energy highway, bringing the mind, body and spirit back into balance.
“I am continually humbled by my students and teachers, my aim is always to teach from the heart and from the idea that yoga is the art of living, listening and learning, to embody this deeply spiritual tradition”
– Lili Chen.